He cringed at the taste of the gunpowder on his tongue. The barrel of the gun was pressed so hard inside his mouth that he was nearly choking on his saliva because he couldn’t swallow it. He looked up pleadingly at the holder of the pistol, but the eyes of his killer were focused upon something else...something outside the window.

Bang!

Pieces of shattered glass flew into the room as blood sprayed across his face. His killer stumbled backwards and pulled the trigger as he fell to the floor. Another loud gunshot rang out. Brain matter and crimson drops splattered the walls. The killer lay on the ground clutching his stomach with one hand and gripping his pistol with the other. Warm blood stained his leather jacket and flowed between his fingers.

He crawled to the door and used the doorknob for support to get up. After managing the small feat he moved out of the room and into the hall. Footsteps came rushing around the corner. He kicked open an exit door and limped outside onto the fire escape. The heavy rain soaked him and his clothes. He slid down the ladder and moved into the alleyway.

“There he is, don’t let him get away!” someone shouted from the building he had just left. Bullets flew his way, chipping off pieces of the brick buildings on either side of him. Another sharp impact on his flesh, this time on his right shoulder. Blood escaped from his mouth and dripped down his chin.

A bright light shone on him and the beat of a helicopter’s blades thudded inside his head. He made a sharp left into another alley. A dim yellow light leaked out onto the wet ground from a door left ajar. He burst inside to find two rows of benches and in front of him a statue of Jesus Christ on a cross; his face full of sorrow and grief. He limped towards the statue, and fell to his knees when he reached it. He turned around and sat with his back leaning against the statue.

A few moments later five men in black SWAT uniforms rushed inside, filing in one after the other. He gripped the 9mm in his lap and peered through dark eyes at them.

“Drop the weapon and lay face down on the ground with your hands behind your back!”

He inhaled and released a deep breath. Didn’t they see that that wasn’t an option for him?

“This is your final warning!”

He smirked and muttered fuck you under his last breath. He raised the gun and fired. A hail of bullets flew at him with merciless force and speed. His chest ripped open in a violent explosion of blood and gore. He fell back, looking up at the face of his most feared enemy. The statue of Jesus looked down upon him and a single tear of blood ran down its cheek, a tear not for the killer, but for all of his victims...